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tontonseb
Published on 01/03/10 at 00:55
Value For Money :
Excellent
Audience:
Beginners
The Thunderbird IV Pro is an official copy of the Gibson Thunderbird 4 string. Epiphone brand is "cheap" Gibson Group.
Price as Epiphone: about 350 €. Gibson equivalent model: over 1300 €!
The Thunderbird IV Pro is manufactured in Indonesia. It differs from the Thunderbird with its simple set neck and transverse (instead of screwed) and its active pickups (instead of liabilities).
The handle is a "long scale", 34''standard. Its shape, the Thunderbird is one of the longest low. It does not fit into a standard flight case. There are specific boxes branded Epiphone and Gibson (quite expensive).
This handle transversa consists of 7 layers of maple and walnut, topped with a touch of rosewood. The body is mahogany. There are three finishes in 2009-2010: plain, black tinted or "sunburst". I have stained the model type, where the grain of the wood is apparent, making it a beautiful object.
While the neck is wider at the base than that of a Fender Precision. But it's still easy to access for a bass player who used to try various instruments. Avoid it for beginners, however that may be turned off unless you have large hands and wide.
Two humbuckers pickups type T-Pro active electronics and four knobs: volume for each pickup, tone and volume. Thunderbird is more versatile than it seems and should not be confined to his usual role of big bass for big sound rock or metal.
I put 8 / 10, because I love this bass, which is a totally subjective opinion.
UTILIZATION
The neck seems generous when it comes to a Fender Precision or an Ibanez electric. It is less imposing than its thickness in an electro-acoustic (Ibanez).
Bass stings a little nose and is heavy. Is the weight of solid wood and a big model! It is also the charm of a Thunderbird. We like it or not this look a little off, both typed and vintage rock.
Access to acute is average, and provided you do not have small fingers.
The sound: a priori the Thunderbird (thunderbird) is here to send the Watts background, preferably with a pick. She played the score beautifully, the look and more. I have not yet studied all the possibilities, but by grinding a little knobs you can play something else, reggae or soul music for example. But I do not think this is the ideal instrument for funk or jazz. The sound is too heavy and the ergonomics too restrictive.
With the active pickups, you get easily high output. It is the ideal place to spend some effect as a preamp.
Again, hard to be objective Note: 8 / 10
SOUNDS
For now, I have not tested all the possibilities of the beast, but to play the "fat" (punk-rock, hardcore, heavy ...), I can now do without pedal and preamp send big sound and beautiful hum (I play on a Ashdown mag 300).
I even managed a few slaps with correct, even if it is not my thing and this bass is clearly not made for that.
But I expect him to mesh graft strings flat or round for, hopefully, get an even hotter. To see ...
OVERALL OPINION
10 days of happiness bassist already.
Note: Generally a good finish. Finishing "natural oil", actually a kind of glaze, brings into focus the wood. I tried a Jack Cassady, another kind of course, but less well finished (painted burrs, rough assembly of elements ...).
Who loves this very distinctive bass style rock: an excellent choice with it seems a very good value for money.
One downside: the flight case suitable model is difficult to find and expensive. The bass appears cumbersome, it will buy the big cars that goes with it.
I found the flight case: 79 € (15 € shipping in Germany)
Price as Epiphone: about 350 €. Gibson equivalent model: over 1300 €!
The Thunderbird IV Pro is manufactured in Indonesia. It differs from the Thunderbird with its simple set neck and transverse (instead of screwed) and its active pickups (instead of liabilities).
The handle is a "long scale", 34''standard. Its shape, the Thunderbird is one of the longest low. It does not fit into a standard flight case. There are specific boxes branded Epiphone and Gibson (quite expensive).
This handle transversa consists of 7 layers of maple and walnut, topped with a touch of rosewood. The body is mahogany. There are three finishes in 2009-2010: plain, black tinted or "sunburst". I have stained the model type, where the grain of the wood is apparent, making it a beautiful object.
While the neck is wider at the base than that of a Fender Precision. But it's still easy to access for a bass player who used to try various instruments. Avoid it for beginners, however that may be turned off unless you have large hands and wide.
Two humbuckers pickups type T-Pro active electronics and four knobs: volume for each pickup, tone and volume. Thunderbird is more versatile than it seems and should not be confined to his usual role of big bass for big sound rock or metal.
I put 8 / 10, because I love this bass, which is a totally subjective opinion.
UTILIZATION
The neck seems generous when it comes to a Fender Precision or an Ibanez electric. It is less imposing than its thickness in an electro-acoustic (Ibanez).
Bass stings a little nose and is heavy. Is the weight of solid wood and a big model! It is also the charm of a Thunderbird. We like it or not this look a little off, both typed and vintage rock.
Access to acute is average, and provided you do not have small fingers.
The sound: a priori the Thunderbird (thunderbird) is here to send the Watts background, preferably with a pick. She played the score beautifully, the look and more. I have not yet studied all the possibilities, but by grinding a little knobs you can play something else, reggae or soul music for example. But I do not think this is the ideal instrument for funk or jazz. The sound is too heavy and the ergonomics too restrictive.
With the active pickups, you get easily high output. It is the ideal place to spend some effect as a preamp.
Again, hard to be objective Note: 8 / 10
SOUNDS
For now, I have not tested all the possibilities of the beast, but to play the "fat" (punk-rock, hardcore, heavy ...), I can now do without pedal and preamp send big sound and beautiful hum (I play on a Ashdown mag 300).
I even managed a few slaps with correct, even if it is not my thing and this bass is clearly not made for that.
But I expect him to mesh graft strings flat or round for, hopefully, get an even hotter. To see ...
OVERALL OPINION
10 days of happiness bassist already.
Note: Generally a good finish. Finishing "natural oil", actually a kind of glaze, brings into focus the wood. I tried a Jack Cassady, another kind of course, but less well finished (painted burrs, rough assembly of elements ...).
Who loves this very distinctive bass style rock: an excellent choice with it seems a very good value for money.
One downside: the flight case suitable model is difficult to find and expensive. The bass appears cumbersome, it will buy the big cars that goes with it.
I found the flight case: 79 € (15 € shipping in Germany)